One lucky girl

My 18 year old niece, Chelsea, was in an accident last Thursday night that could have taken her life. Thankfully, she wasn't injured badly, but as you can see from the pictures, she is very lucky. I am blogging this because I care about her and want her to know that.

She cannot take back that night, or the fact that she was drinking and driving... but she does have the power to decide where she goes from here.

We are here to help and support in any way we can. We've all made mistakes along the way... these moments do not define you; what you do from here forward will. We love you Chelsea.

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves. ~Henry David Thoreau

1st Place!

Cole and Aaron went to the Jordan District History Fair on Friday. Their Thomas Edison documentary won first place in their division! They were so excited and we are proud of them! Way to go boys!

Snow again!

My forsythia, daffodils, crocus, and hyacinth bloomed just in time for new snow!

Cole's Jr. Jazz team, the Sharks, won a sportsmanship initiative award...

Taking off the back deck... (our house used to be blue, I guess!)

It has been another busy week. Last week, Morgan and Cole were wearing shorts and running around in near 70 degree weather. Rich finished taking the deck apart over the weekend. We are hoping to pour a cement patio this spring. On Monday evening, we got to go back to the Energy Solutions Arena for an evening with Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur of the Jazz because Cole's basketball team won a sportsmanship award. It snowed on Monday, enough to leave several inches on the ground and cancel soccer practice for Tuesday. We found an indoor venue for practice tonight... it is snowing again today! Ah, Spring in Utah! Cole and his friend, Aaron, made it to the District History Fair with their PowerPoint presentation on Thomas Edison. The fair is tomorrow, so I'll let you know how they do!

Shooting Hoops with the Jazz players!

Cole getting an autograph from Deron Williams (D-Will)
Cole with Andrei Kirilenko (AK 47)

Cole with Kyle Korver

Cole with Carlos Boozer (Booz)

Shooting freethrows with Ronnie!

Cole and Rich got to have a very special evening out last night. They went to a charity gala called Leapin' Leaners and Low Tops to benefit the Larry H. Miller charities. The entire Jazz basketball team was on hand to play foosball, play video games, shoot hoops, talk, and sign autographs. Rich said that Ronnie Price and CJ Miles were having a blast, that it was difficult to get Matt Harpring's autograph, that "Booz" has an amazing custom made watch, that D-Will was so gracious, and that Mehmet Okur's wife is hot. If I'd been there, I would have just stood next to Kyle Korver all evening (stalker). Cole got a basketball signed by the entire team (except Harpring) and shot hoops against about 6 of the players. How fun is that? It was a night that neither of them will soon forget!

Weekend with the McKay Family

Rich & Craig catching up
Cole, tired at lunch... he was a "new man" afterwards...

Morgan needed a lunch break, too. Then, they had a great afternoon, even skiing a couple black diamond runs! We skied until the lifts closed!

"Boss Hog", "Daisy Duke", and Bradley came to visit Utah for a few days. They were meeting family at Solitude to ski for several days. It was so much fun to see them, and we always think-- we should get together with them more often. Rich & Craig were buddies in high school and it seems like they always pick up where they left off when they see each other. Part of this weekend's discussion revolved around hair: gray vs. losing it. Joanne and I had fun catching up, as well, and the kids enjoyed playing together. I thought I took more photos, but must have been having too much fun to take pictures!

Prom on the Hi-Line in Montana

My handsome nephew, Jordy, went to the prom last night with his beautiful date Taylor. Keep in mind that this is a farming community where everyone knows everyone, and it takes a village to raise a child... and takes more than one village to get enough kids to fill a dance floor. So, even when you're a freshman, you can go to prom. Since none of the freshman can drive, the parents got together and rented a school bus, which my sister-in-law, Dana, decorated, and my brother, Dean, drove. He was their chauffeur for the night. I think it is so cool that these kids rode the bus and had a blast! The boys even had a red carpet for the girls to step out onto. I don't know if I would want to be a freshman in high school again, but those were some great times!

By the way, the Climax Blues Band song, "I Love You" was a prom theme when Dean and Dana went to prom many years ago...

Basketball is over; Skiing, History Fair, & Soccer coming soon!

We are looking forward to a visit from the McKay family from Missoula this weekend. We will be catching up and skiing at Solitude.

The boys lost their game last night, so the tournament is over for them. They really got out-hustled last night. They were all sad to see the season end. Hopefully we can get the same group together next year; and have Coach Mark as their fantastic leader. We were discussing the game with Cole on the way home and he has vowed to work on his ball handling over the spring and summer so he can really be a rocket next year. At this point, his real forte is defense.

So now, it is onto a big week of History Fair project completion. Cole & his friend, Aaron, are working on a Power Point presentation about Thomas Edison. Their research is complete, but they are interviewing 3 ladies from a local assisted living facility tomorrow about their experiences with getting lights in their homes for the first time. It will be fun to visit with them.

It is ONE WEEK until our first soccer practice! The girls are getting excited and Cole says he's going to be the assistant coach. Rich should do a great job with all of them. We found out the important information that all the girls wanted to know... the color of their uniforms: Fuchsia!

Tournament Action Continues!

Cole's Jr. Jazz team, the Sharks, started a basketball tournament on Saturday. They lost their first, but won their second on Saturday... and continued on to Monday. The games have been played in downtown SLC at West High School. Because of the crazy weather that Monday evening, only 6 of the players showed up. Luckily, they brought their hard work and determination with them and won the game by 4 points. They play again tonight. The pictures are of several of the boys on the "W" at West High on Saturday, a free throw moment, and the cheer squad! Go Sharks!

And now you know... the rest of the story.

Many of you know that radio legend Paul Harvey died recently. It only takes a quiet moment to remember his voice coming out of the radio at lunch time, Dad in from the field or the shop, smelling of diesel, and Mom setting a bowl of bean with bacon soup and Zesta crackers in front of me. His voice transports me back to this time in a heartbeat. A friend sent me the below passage that he wrote for his grandchildren. It is some good stuff.

"We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would...
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life."

Student of the Month, the Jonas Brothers, and Winter...

Morgan was chosen as Student of the Month for February at Willow Canyon Elementary. Her teacher told us at conference this week that is she is a very good student, but is very humble, so she nominated her. Morgan got to have McDonald's lunch delivered to her by the principal! Her school and our community is mourning the loss of an amazing woman who gave so much time and energy to the school and kids. LuAnne Gustafson was killed in a car accident last week. She was a fixture at the school, someone that will be missed for a long time, and someone that we can all strive to be more like.

Cole also got an award this week at conference for scoring in the top 10% in the nation in math & science on his Iowa Basics. Way to go buddy! He is excited for his Jr. Jazz tournament this weekend. They have 2 games back-to-back tomorrow. It will be exciting!!!

No school last Friday... so we headed out to the Jonas Brothers 3D movie with Cole's friend, Neema, and his little brother, Seena. These kids had a blast, singing right along with every song in the movie! It was pretty fun to be there with them!!

A blast of winter hit Utah the other night... just when I had seen the first crocus of the spring blooming! My tulips are all peeking out of the ground and the daffodils and hyacinth, too. I love the spring snow showers and the sunlight glinting off of the snow in the morning.